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What has been Scion's gift to generation-Y so far? Its first model is either a hatchback or a station wagon, our least loved body styles. The second is a minivan, and that's no typo. Both are based on Toyota's Echo, the very car whose failure to attract youth was thought to inspire Scion in the first place. Both Scions are powered by the Echo's 1.5-liter engine - the smallest and weakest available in a new car today. To top it off, the marketing department came up with the inspiring names of "xA" and "xB."
Make of that what you will. The important thing is that Scion's national debut this past June (it had been California-only for the year prior) coincides with the release of its third model, the 2005 tC. The tC, which is meant to replace Toyota's dying Celica, is a two-door coupe powered by the Camry's 160 horsepower engine. Hmm, now we're getting somewhere!
Of course, the tC can't exactly be called a Celica replacement. Because it has a 2.4-liter engine with horsepower/torque numbers of 160/163, it will certainly have a different character than the Celica GT-S's 1.8-liter screamer that packs 180/130. Some would call the Scion an improvement; others would call it selling out; I call it balance. Compared to the base Celica GT, on the other hand, the Scion cleans its clock. Expect to pay for the Scion's power at the pump.
Other differences: the Scion tC's stick has five gears instead of the GT-S's six, and the Scion's automatic lacks manual shifting abilities. The Scion has seatbelts for five, not four. The Scion sits on 17-inch wheels instead of 15 or 16. And with the Scion's enlarged engine and enlarged dimensions comes weight enlarged by some 405 pounds, to 2,905 for a 5-speed. In compensation, we get a low asking price of $16,465 instead of $18,085 (Celica GT) or $22,750 (GT-S).
In other words, Scion has joined the crowd. Instead of duking it out with the Acura RSX, the tC joins the Nissan Sentra SE-R, Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart, and Mazda 3s (among others) in the premium sport compact fight club. Specs are similar enough that the tC's door count serves as its main distinction.
There could be one more: value. $16,465 ($800 more for the automatic) buys power everything, antilock disc brakes, keyless entry, a moonroof, 17-inch alloy wheels, and a 160-watt Pioneer MP3 CD stereo with six speakers. These kids today, they have it good. On the other hand, Scion chose to follow Saturn's lead into the retail realm of no-dicker stickers, so without the possibility of negotiation, it's possible that the value vanishes.
There's only one substantial option: side and side-curtain airbags for $650. After that, there are, as with other Scions, a million overpriced custom accessories that can be added a la carte for pimping one's ride. A very partial list includes a $385 spoiler, $169 bra, $219 car cover ($19.99 at Costco!), $145 floor mats ($19.99 at Costco!), $995 ground effects, $469 alarm, $299 leather steering wheel, $449 100-watt Bazooka subwoofer, and a $525 muffler. Knowing the target market's grasp on the value of money, Scion can probably expect to make a fortune here.